Bitter-Sweet Fairy Tales

Thumbelina

Bitter Sweet Fairy Tales

All Rights Reserved

©2018 Katheryne N., Nievana J.

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  "Well... well, that's not fair. I... I must be the only little person in the world. I wish I were big. " - Thumbelina, Thumbelina

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  Once upon a time, there was a girl named Arolina. She was raised in a poor family with only her parents in Central African Republic. Despite having a small home and there only ever being just enough food to last them the month, Arolina was a happy child. She was always singing and dancing, always making friends with the other children. There was never a day she wasn't smiling. Though, she was always a small girl: short with a petite body figure. Her mother was always scared the wind would take her away.

  However, at this time Central African Republic was torn by a war that felt like it would never end. Plundered towns and villages left innocent people with nothing. And Arolina became traumatized, hungry, and alone by the age of fourteen when she watched her parents die. She did only what she could which was flea to Cameroon along with many other people in her village. 

  She spent days alone, constantly getting separated from groups. Her feet were exhausted but she knew she couldn't stop. She couldn't risk being caught. Even if she wanted to rest, every time she closed her eyes, she had constant images of her parents' corpses. She had no choice but to keep going. 

  'Just keep going, just keep going...' She endlessly repeated to herself. 

  Arolina found herself in a village in Cameroon. She had no where to go with no money to spend but she was with many other refugees so she wasn't alone anymore. She helped take care of the small children and did whatever she could to be strong. There was another girl though, one Arolina had never seen. 'Maybe she lives here' she thought to herself. The girl looked to be the same age as Arolina but she wasn't as small. Her clothes were neat and she didn't look nearly as tired as everyone else did. It seemed as if she was looking for someone so Arolina did what she usually does and made friends with her. 

  She walked up to her slowly and introduced herself. "Hello, I'm Arolina."

  "Hi, I'm Vanina." She said with a weak smile.

  "Do you live here?" 

  Vanina nodded. "With my parents and brother. Where are your parents?"

  Arolina was taken back by the question. She didn't have it in her to say it out loud. Vanina could read her body language. "Oh, I'm sorry." Vanina said. She stood for a moment in deep thought. "I'll be back," She ran off to talk to who Arolina assumed was Vanina's mother. Arolina finally sat down; her feet felt like she had been dancing on hot iron for hours. She had no idea what she was going to do or were she was going to stay. 'Maybe a family will be nice and let me live with them,' she thought but laughed off the idea. 

  Vanina came back with her mother. "This is Arolina," She said. 

  "Hi, my name is Esther. Vanina tells me that you're alone." Arolina nodded. "You should come back home with us, we have an empty room in our home." 

  Arolina sighed in relief and, without hesitation, stood up. "Thank you so much." 

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